Hi Donna,
I respectfully offer another perspective.
>>Several military style knives and swords, were tested in battle. The Sumarai and Filipino Moro Warriors tested their swords on unsuspecting human beings. The khukuri performed well in battle and we know as a fact that the khukuri will remove limbs with ease. I do not know of a RECENTLY DESIGNED custom fighter--icluding my own--which boasts "Battle Tested." <<
There are not many places where a maker can claim his blades are "battle tested." We should be grateful we don't live in a time or place where blades can be "tested" in real life on a periodic basis.
The above in fact makes an argument for testing. No maker can truly say their "wares" have been tested in battle. Yet, folks will and still carry blades in preparation. How can one know that the chosen blade will suffice never mind be really good for the task in a life or death situation? The closest is to put the blade through tests that comes close to simulating the stresses that the knife may be put through. Yes, even the most half-a$$ blade will cut but will it survive a blade to blade, or blade to stick, or whatever clash? Will it stay intact when thrust inadvertantly into say a buckle or brass button. No way to know unless you put in through the paces.
Constant warfare with blades pretty much stopped in Japan after the ascent of Tokugawa Shogunate. Without resort to "battle testing", the samurais and blademakers resorted to "tamishigiri" (blade testing) on prisoners, criminals, dead bodies and, yes, even the unsuspecting passer-byer. This gave valuable feedback. But, thankfully, this too has passed on (in legalistic society). So, many practitioners don't even do testing anymore and their "weapons" have been devolved mostly to pretty replicas. Yet, the "jutsu" (martial) oriented, tamishigiri is alive and well and seen as necessary with their cherished "live" blades. This is done with wrapped straw mats, bamboo, wood, etc. For example, Toshihiro Obata, a noted aikijutsu shihan and bujutsu (over budo) proponent criticizes kenjutsu players who don't do tamishigiri. His position is how does one claim to master a sword when that person has not a clue what that sword is capable of, even if in a test which at best simulates what the blade is intended for. I believe he has a point.
In reality, testing a blade is nothing more than an extension of practice with a blade. Every time a blade is handle, extracted from the sheath, put through the moves, and put back into the sheath, a form of testing is taking place. How does it feel it the hand, move, flow, etc? The very handling serves to bond that blade to the wielder. S/he comes to understand the blades nuances, strengths and weaknesses... Indeed, s/he becomes "one" with it.
>>Testers will use all their strength and their best technique to tell you how well a fighter will cut and what material it will go through. From my knowledge of life and death situations you can expect to be compramised. How will that fighter cut if I use my left weak hand, which is a possiblity and how will it cut from a prone position when I cant put my body into a strike? How will it cut when using only a small amount of strength which is all I will have if I am compramised?
Someone who survived an attack on his/her life and told how even when compramised, the knife saved his day will provide a more accurate review concerning the performance of a fighter.<<
Donna, I believe you are perhaps confusing two important but separate components. You test and practice with a blade to understand its capabilities and limits and to become bonded with it. You want to trust this blade on which your life may someday depend. Should you ever be unfortunate enough to have to use the blade, your success will hopefully not be dependent on the quality of the blade but the caliber of your skills and the intensity of your mindset and spirit. The factor of the blade hopefully has been taken care off by your testing and practice with it. You know the blade and trust it. The more critical factor, then, becomes you the wielder of the blade...
In actually, each and every time you practice, you are forging yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. In effect, there is a "testing" of YOU that is happening. Just as some of the "testing" of a blade gives an indication of the blade's capability, freestyle drills and/or sparring is a "testing" of your skills and mindset.
Is the testing the real thing? No, but it affords a glimpse of the possibility and futher prepares you and the blade for the possibility of the real thing. If either fails the simulated situation -- the testing -- you go back and address the weaknesses and refine the strengths.
Thanks for raising this important topic for discussion. Look forward to training with you again soon.
sing
AKTI #A000356
[This message has been edited by sing (edited 07-06-2000).]